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保存 (bǎo cún) — to save, to preserve, to keep

Definition

保存 (bǎocún) means to save or preserve — files, food, memories, cultural sites. It is more formal and permanent than 留 ('leave/keep behind'), and unlike 保持/维持 it focuses on storing or safeguarding, not ongoing maintenance.

verb
to saveto preserveto keep

Examples

  • 保存。
    Qǐng bǎ zhè ge wén jiàn bǎo cún dào diàn nǎo lǐ.
    Please save this file to the computer.
  • 保存。
    Bǎ shèng xià de shí wù bǎo cún zài bīng xiāng lǐ.
    Keep the leftover food in the fridge.
  • 保存。
    Zhè xiē zhào piàn bǎo cún le wǒ men zuì měi hǎo de jì yì.
    These photos preserve our fondest memories.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

保bǎoprotect
存cúnkeep

保 means protect, 存 means keep; together they mean to preserve something.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

保 originally showed a person 人 carrying a child 子 on their back, which led to the sense of protecting.

Open 保 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
子子zǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
才
才cái存cún
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

存 pairs 子 with 才, which was used for the sound.

Open 存 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 5Abstract Concepts5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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